John and the Lion
by 55below
Summary: A quiet morning in the life of an Arizona rancher, told in ten separate drabbles.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note** _The characters Bobby and Betsy first appear in the fanfic, "The Ride". They appear in this story courtesy of VStar Traveler, their creator._

* * *

An overnight stay at the C-bar-M wasn't nearly as bad as John expected. Brother Buck had cleaned the place nicely, Mano's cooking was good and the bed was comfortable. Their meeting the previous night been fruitful.

 _Those two are really taking the bull by the horns,_ John smiled. _They're doing well._

John left early to see the upper boundary before heading back to the Chaparral. The partners' disclosure of several smaller ponds up high piqued his interest. The warm morning sun on his back and the dewfresh scent of the pinons and sage invigorated him.


	2. Chapter 2

A determined quail hen with six chicks ran out in front of the horseman. Rather than crossing the trail, the seven birds ran directly in front of John for fifty feet before ducking into the underbrush. The many wrinkles formed a quiet, patient smile.

The first pond had potential. Ringed with tall willows and young cottonwoods, the promised shade would help fight the Arizona sun.

Pond number two was larger, more open. Ten mule deer does and fawns watered at the far end. John pulled up short, remaining still until the deer left.

It was the gentlemanly thing to do.


	3. Chapter 3

The tail end of the property was a massive outcropping of rock with the valley floor one thouand feet below. From where John sat, he could see one hundred miles in any direction.

Horse and rider wound their way through the large rocks until they were several hundred yards above the valley. The temperature had risen twenty degrees during the descent. It would rise ten more at the bottom.

John dismounted, tying his horse behind a juniper tree. Grabbing his canteen, he walked fifty yards to the shade of a rock overhang and sat.

 _Big country,_ he thought. _Big. indeed._


	4. Chapter 4

"John. The children wish to say 'good bye'. "

He turned to face Victoria as Betsy jumped into his arms. She rested on his forearm, her little arms wrapped firmly around his neck. She showed no desire to let go.

"Bobby!" Victoria scolded. The little boy laughed, running behind the couch where he couldn't be reached. She chased him, but to no avail.

"Robert Sebastian Cannon!"

The boy understood the implied threat, giving John's leg a half-hearted hug. He then bolted past his mother's reach.

"Get back here, _chiangito!_ "

Bobby squealed with delight, running into the kitchen.


	5. Chapter 5

Four long, hot, hours of riding lay ahead. A short break would benefit both horse and rider. As John took a drink, his eyes caught movement a hundred yards away. Mountain lion. Slowly, John pulled his revolver.

The cat looked back as two cubs came flying over the rise. One of them jumped on her head as the other slammed into her body. She rolled onto her back and played with the energetic youngsters.

The smaller of the two clamped her mouth on an exposed teat and was instantly cuffed.

John smiled, silently sliding his revolver back into the holster.


	6. Chapter 6

The mother lion jumped to her feet, staring at something John couldn't see.. The cubs sensed her concern, dropping quietly to their bellies. A single coyote trotted into view, looking nonchalantly at the larger predator.

The coyote slowed, then sat, fifty feet from the lions. The mother snarled as the wild dog remained seated.

 _You're pushing your luck, Mr Coyote._

She charged the coyote. Instantly, another coyote appeared, rushing in from behind and grabbing the smaller cub. The cub's screams alerted the mother, who turned and gave chase.

Quickly, the first coyote returned, grabbing the larger cub.


	7. Chapter 7

The back and forth continued, the coyotes carrying and dropping each cub a bit further away every time the lioness charged.

 _Must be her first litter. A mature lion would have seen this coming._

The cat had speed, the dogs, endurance. Patiently, the two coyotes began to wear her down. She would soon have to choose which cub to save.

The youngsters were now seventy feet apart, their mother tiring quickly. As she turned to chase the first coyote, the second quickly returned to the smaller cub.

The coyote froze after hearing the metallic 'click' of a revolver being cocked.


	8. Chapter 8

The roar of the Colt was deafening. The second coyote spun, biting at the gaping hole in it's chest before falling to the ground, dead. The first dog dropped the larger cub and fled immediately.

The lioness crouched, searching for the source of the blast. The panicked cubs ran to her and crawled beneath her stomach, looking into the rocks.

Big John rose, and holstered the revolver, his eyes never leaving those of the big cat. With tentative steps, she began to move away from the man.

"Don't make me regret this," he told the young mother.

She hissed.


	9. Chapter 9

John mounted his horse and pointed it toward the High Chaparral.

 _I want to get that new corral finished soon. I want to get more barbed wire. I want a few hundred more adobe bricks to expand the bunkhouse._

John steered the horse around some _cholla as_ his eyes wandered to the ridge behind him. There, profiled against the deep blue sky, stood the mountain lion.

He slowed the horse and looked at her. She quietly stared back until the bigger cub jumped on her. As she spun to shake him off, the smaller one swatted at her waving tail.


	10. Chapter 10

A modest grin crept to his lips as he resumed his ride.

 _No, John Cannon, you want for nothing._

This land was more demanding than he had ever expected. Drought, disease, a tenuous, often volatile relationship with the Apache couldn't outweigh the day to day rewards of the life he now shared with a remarkable woman. Their's was a tough minded family, hale and hearty. What more could a man want ?

 _One thing,_ he thought.

 _I want a hug that grabs a little tighter than it needs to. I want a hug that holds on entirely too long._

* * *

 _Thank you for taking the time to read this first-ever drabble. If you have any comments or suggestions, please post a comment._


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